Widman Act, named after fallen Fort Myers officer, to become law

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Published on: 5/4/2011

The third time was the charm for the Andrew Widman Act.

After failing to pass through the Legislature the last two years, the bill, which is named after the slain Fort Myers police officer and designed to give officers and judges the necessary tools to keep repeat violent felony offenders off the streets, is now heading to Gov. Rick Scott's desk to be signed into law.

The Florida House passed the bill 115 to 1 on Wednesday. The only holdout, Rep. Betty Young, D-Tampa, switched her vote after roll call. The Senate unanimously passed the bill last week.

Freshman Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-Lehigh Acres, who sponsored the bill in the House, called it his greatest success so far as a lawmaker. He also credited Sen. Lizbeth Benaquisto, R-Wellington, the Senate sponsor, as well as his predecessor, Nick Thompson, who carried the bill the previous two years in the House.

'Officer Andrew Widman was gunned down by a violent felon who should have been in prison because of the violations of his probation,' Caldwell said on the floor. 'This bill will address that concern.'

The House passed the bill every year since it was first introduced in 2009, but it has never made it out of the Senate until this year.

Susanna Makinson, Widman's widow who remarried last summer and moved out of state, cheered when she was told by a reporter of the bill's passage.

'It's wonderful,' she said. 'I know these things take time. I think it happened pretty quickly actually. Some people need a lot longer for legislation that is important to them.'

Widman's name will now signify the protections that all Florida officers and citizens deserve, something that his family can be proud of, Benaquisto said.

'We look forward to the governor's signature and letting (Widman's family) know their sacrifice has created a lasting legacy,' Benaquisto said.

Widman, a one-time Christian minister who had been working as a Fort Myers police officer for just over a year, was gunned down by a career criminal while responding to a domestic violence call in downtown Fort Myers on an early morning in July 2008.

His killer, Abel Arango, had recently been arrested in Lee County on drug trafficking charges, a violation of his probation. Only after he was released on bail was a warrant, with a 'no bond' provision, issued for his arrest for violating his probation.

Despite the warrant, Arango managed to walk out of a Lee County courtroom after making a first appearance in the drug case.

In the case of a probation offender being arrested on a new charge, the Andrew Widman Act would allow a first appearance judge to immediately issue an arrest warrant for the probation violation. If signed by Scott, as is expected, it would go into law on July 1.

Fort Myers Police Chief Doug Baker called the Widman Act a 'no-brainer' for Florida, but said it's unfortunate it took three years to pass. It will help bring closure to his department, Baker said, but more importantly, it will help save lives by keeping violent offenders behind bars.

'I'm very humbled and honored that our officer's ? name is attached to legislation that is going to protect and save the lives of future law enforcement officers in the state, and community members,' Baker said. 'For us, we are never going to forget Officer Widman's sacrifice.'

Ten Florida law enforcement officers have died or been killed in the line of duty so far this year, six by gunfire, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page website. The Widman Act could help prevent future law enforcement killings, Caldwell said.

'We've lost more than a half-dozen officers this year that very well could have not happened if we had had this in place already,' he said. 'All of those (killers) were violent ex-felons who should be behind bars.'

Makinson said passage of the legislation is a good thing that she's wanted to happen, but said she didn't believe it would bring closure.

'I don't know how any form of legislation could do that,' she said. 'It's never going to bring Andy back. It's never going to heal my children.

'That's something that really only God can do, and really it takes a lot of time.'